1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of hand-held devices and aids for the sanitary handling and disposal of solid waste and droppings left by household pet animals, particularly canine droppings.
2. State of the Prior Art
Many municipalities have enacted ordinances obligating pet owners to promptly remove solid excrement left by their pet animals, notably dogs, on sidewalks and similar public areas. These laws, popularly known as "pooper-scooper" laws, have spurred considerable creative activity in the design of waste retrieval and handling devices which would allow pet owners to comply with the law with minimum distaste. Many such devices are now in use, and while most of these adequately perform their intended function, further improvement is still desirable.
Some of the existing devices for removal of animal droppings are deficient in that the device itself must come into contact with the waste material and becomes contaminated and unsanitary. Efforts to avoid this problem have led to various designs which interpose a disposable bag or wrapper between the handling device and the waste. These devices, however, require the user to fit a fresh bag on the device prior to each use. In some cases, bags specially designed for use with the particular device are required.
A continuing need therefore exists for pet waste retrieval and disposal devices which are entirely sanitary, do not require use of special disposal bags, and which in particular do not require the user to insert or attach a fresh bag on the retrieval device prior to each use. Many of the prior art devices are needlessly complex and bulky, and the improved device should therefore be simple, light weight and compact so that it can be comfortably and unobtrusively carried along while walking a pet.